LeBron James scored 27 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers made a record 25 three-pointers to pound the Atlanta Hawks 123-98 on Wednesday to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
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Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, right, celebrates with teammates after a 3-point shot by guard Dahntay Jones broke an National Basketball Association record for 3-pointers made in any game during the second half against the Atlanta Hawks of Game 2 o.
“I don’t think there’s any place in our game to take someone out because they’re playing well”, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said Thursday on a conference call. They’ve lost every playoff game – 10 in all – they’ve worked against LeBron James’ teams.
As I said about the Warriors, if you don’t want your opponent to set records, you need to play a little better.
After also dropping Game One, the Hawks take an early lead here, and Paul Millsap makes it three by tipping in his own miss, en route to 16 points.
Budenholzer was asked if the Hawks should have retaliated as the Cavaliers were aiming to set the all-time record late in the game.
When reserve Dahntay Jones made Cleveland’s 24th three-pointer with two minutes, 24 seconds left, they bettered the mark of 23 previously held by Orlando (2009) and Houston (2013). Mo Williams added another for good measure.
Smith connected on a franchise playoff record six 3-pointers in the first half.
All of that has led to 2-0 series lead for the Cavs, with the series now heading to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4.
The Hawks did themselves no favors by turning the ball over 12 times in the first two quarters alone, allowing Cleveland to feast on those mistakes. Example: the Cavs were up by 20 in the second quarter in Game 2, 43-23, when Korver scored inside.
Holtby made 29 saves, but the Capitals dropped a third straight game, something they did once all season. With that happening, it will be pretty hard for the Hawks to pull off something, though they get some added help with the sixth man in the person of their hometown crowd. Swing, swing shot when they double-team LeBron in the post, or we drive the ball in transition. “We were hoping that they’d start missing at some point”. Records are awesome, and the fourth quarter of a blowout is exactly the time to go all out for one.
Bosh was averaging a team-best 19.1 points at the break, when the clot was found. Speaking with a raspy voice afterward, tired Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said his team has “a lot to take care of” after such a game.
After Game 2, the Hawks can be expected to play much more aggressively in Game 3. Whereas the starting five for the Cavs has been outstanding (sans Kevin Love’s shooting), the Hawks has been the complete opposite. It is somewhat unimportant to us.
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“We know going down to Atlanta’s going to be a hostile environment, we’ve got to play through the officiating, we’ve to play through a lot of different things, through adversity”, Lue said.
